797. Leo loved to sing

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Leo was all of six and a half years old. A half seems to matter when you’re that young. I’m six and a quarter. I’m going to be seven in four months. Because, you see, at that age birthdays matter.

Leo loved to sing. He knew all the nursery rhymes and a few other songs as well. His favourite song was:

This old man, he plays one
He plays knick knack on my thumb
With a knick knack paddy wack
Give a dog a bone
This old man comes rolling home.

And then his mother heard him singing:

This old man, he plays one,
He plays knick knack on my BUM.

BUM was emphasized to make sure all heard. Leo knew how to rhyme. His mother was amused but pretended to be shocked. She took Leo aside and told him that BUM wasn’t a nice word to use in the song. And if he was very good she would take him along to the Christmas carol singing next week.

He was a good boy, so off they went to the carols. Leo sang. The whole world heard him. He sang in tune but at the top of his voice.

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my BUM.

To listen to the story being read click HERE!

56 thoughts on “797. Leo loved to sing

  1. Susanne

    Bum is a wonderful word. I love the way my lips press together on the M and and there’s a slight vibration that is kind of musical. It’s easy to understand why a child would have fun with it. So ummy, hummy, yummy.

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    1. Bruce Goodman Post author

      Sue – you crack me up! It is a magnificent word – and a shame that it is also wasted on hobos. Hobos should be content with the word “hobo” which is also a great word, and not steal the wonderful bum word from ones posterior.

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  2. arlingwoman

    This story reminds me of the Barry Louis Polisar album I gave my nephew when he was a child. There was a song on it called Underwear, which my nephew loved singing loudly in public, thereby embarrassing my sister-in-law greatly. She has since passed it on to HIS children, but singing Underwear loudly in public would be pretty mild for them, so I don’t think it’s a problem.

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    1. Cynthia Jobin

      That’s a very cute song, isn’t it? I do really like Bruce’s favorite word for nether garments which is “smalls.” But little kids like to “shock” adults with lavatory humor. Some, especially males as I’ve observed, never grow out of it.

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